Terrazzo construction



Nov. 7; 1939. v T. VLGALASSI 2,179,289

TERBAZZO CONSTRUCTION Original Filed May 21, 1935 Alfarm e54 Patented Nov. 7, 1939 2 UNITED STATES PATENT Qlr FlEE TERRAZZO CONSTRUCTION Theodore V. Galassi, Providence, R. I.

Refiled for abandoned application Serial No. 22,508, May 21, 1935. This application February 13, 1939, Serial No. 256,181 r 8 Claims. (C1. 94-3) This application is a refiling of application factory cost, and may be quickly assembled on Serial No. 22,508, filed May 21, 1935, and enthe job with a minimum of labor. titled Terrazzo construction. With the above and other objects and advan- My present invention relates to the building tageous features in view, my invention consists construction art, and has particular reference of a novel arrangement of parts, and of novel 5 to the manufacture of terrazzo floors. compositions of material, more fully disclosed in Terrazzo floors as at present built require a the detailed description following, in conjunccement foundation or base, the terrazzo being tion with the accompanying drawing, and more spread over this base and provided with brass specifically defined in the claims appended 10 strips set therein at spaced intervals for the thereto. 10

purpose of reducing setting-shrinkage of the In the drawing: terrazzo and counteracting the effect of tem- Fig. l is a plan view, broken away, showing perature expansion and contraction. The presan example of the appearance of a completed ent practice utilizes brass strips approximately novel floor;

or more in width, and has disadvantageous Fig. 2 is an enlarged section thereof on the 15 features in that the brass strips are costly, and line 2-2 of Fig. must be spaced relatively close together to prop- 3 is a perspective View Of a p fi erly take care of the expansive and contractive t; a d effect produced by temperature changes. I have Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional detail thereof,

found that the use of brass strips can be elimi- Showing the novel ingredients andth l' rr s 20 Rated and shrinkage, expansion and contraction ment in the terrazzo layer and in the terrazzo readily controlled by using a more suitable mabaseterial, which lends itself to a greater variety of Referring to the drawing, e n e t razzo ornamental effects, and which p rmit th use flooring comprises terrazzo sections it which are of larger continuous areas of terrazzo than has Separated by non-metallic t p p eferably 25 heretofore been possible. It is the principal obof marble, a d a o a o babe 886 F ject of my i v nti n t provide a tt and the marble strips ll extending into the foundamore efie tive interl k t i l for terrazzo. tion base below the lower surface of the terrazzo constructions. layer. I have found that the use of marble 39 Moreover, I have found it possible to change ip w h h v substantial W d c0mpenthe terrazzo floorin so as t increase th tsate for the expansion and contraction of the tractive appearance thereof and at the same time terrazzo, whereby the Sections ay f desired improve its wearing qualities and durability. It be made as large as 25 to 50 Sq a e feet Withisa further object of my invention to provide out danger of cracking. o Separation because a novel terrazzo mixture which increases the of temperature Changes- I have also found that 35 life of the flooring and enhances its attractive the use of marble Strips P s a more p e appearance, ing and more attractive flooring, as the marble I have also found it advisable to provide a may be of y 00101 and y e o di ferent better and less costly ba for th terrazzo, b colors to suit the taste of the architect. The

4D utilizing materials which facilitate the formation t a layer. which normally consists of of a proper foundation and at the same time aggregation marble p. a S a percenta e decrease the weight thereof, whereby the dead of carbolundum particles a Cement. is eatly weight of th completed fl r is greatly improved both in appearance and in durability, creased. It is a further object of my invention by using a e t e y r e a unt of fine Carboto provide a novel mixture of base materials rundum aggregate. Aterrazzo layer it one-half 45 having relatively light weight, which facilitate i c thick With marble ps 53 a a h the formation of a suitable supporting base for percentage o Carborundum a te up to th terrazzo. layen 40 per cent of the layer, with sufiioient cement The novel constructions above referred to have 5 for b d p d a y Substantial so id simplified the manufacture of terrazzo flooring, layer of e t e-me y g e t d a ty a Wearing 50 and the increased strength of the parts has qualities, tests disclosing that it will wear twice permitted manufacture of complete prefabrias long as standard terrazzo flooring.

cated terrazzo units which may be readily trans- The usual terrazzo base is formed of sand ported to a building job for mounting, whereby and cement; this base is relatively heavy, and

complete units may be manufactured at low I have found it possible to simplify the manu- 55 facture of the base, lower the cost thereof, and greatly reduce the weight thereof, by utilizing sawdust as a substantial ingredient. Ordinary sawdust will not mix well; I have found it advisable to place the sawdust in water and soak it for an extended period of time, four days being suitable, after which the sawdust is removed and mixed with one part cement and one part coarse sand; the resultant mixture of sawdust l6, sand l1 and cement I8, see Fig. 2, is easily laid to provide a proper foundation which sets perfectly, and. is much lighter in weight than standard foundations, whereby a completed floor consisting of a three-quarter inch base supporting a one-half inch terrazzo layer is one-third lighter than standard terrazzo flooring.

The improved base, which is lighter in weight and yet is very strong, and the terrazzo layer of great strength permits the manufacture of prefabricated units l9, such as illustrated in Fig. 3; blocks of flooring up to 25 square feet may be readily manufactured at the factory, and are strong enough to stand all handling during shipment and during laying without damage. The prefabrication permits setting under perfect conditions, as temperature, humidity, etc., are readily controlled, whereby all shrinkage when the blocks are laid is eliminated. I have thus found it possible to prefabricate flooring units, and to ship same to a construction job, where they are quickly laid upon a thin prepared foundation which preferably consists of a quarter inch layer of leveled cement. I have also found it feasible to prefabricate terrazzo strips, which can replace marble strips as above described, either for use at the construction job, or for the manufacture of the prefabricated block.

While I have described specific constructional embodiments of my invention, and specific compositions for the base and the terrazzo layer, it is obvious that changes in the arrangement of the parts and in the proportions of the ingredients used may be made to suit different architectural requirements, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a terrazzo floor construction, a base consisting of a mixture of cement, sand and sawdust, spaced strips of marble embedded in said base and. extending upwardly from the surface thereof, and terrazzo layers between said spaced strips.

2. A prefabricated building unit comprising a base consisting of a mixture of cement, sand and sawdust, spaced strips of marble embedded therein and extending from the surface thereof, and terrazzo layers between said strips.

3. A prefabricated building unit comprising a base, spaced strips embedded therein and extending from the surface thereof, and terrazzo layers containing from 20% to fine carborundum aggregate between said strips.

4. A prefabricated building unit comprising a base, spaced strips of material having a low coefficient of expansion embedded therein and extending from the surface thereof, and terrazzo layers containing from 20% to 40% fine carborundum aggregate between said strips.

5. A prefabricated building unit comprising a base, spaced strips of marble embedded therein and extending from the surface thereof, and terrazzo layers containing from 20% to 40% fine carborundum aggregate between said strips.

6. A prefabricated building unit comprising a base consisting of a mixture of cement, sand and sawdust, spaced strips embedded therein and extending from the surface, and terrazzo layers containing from 20% to 40% fine carborundum aggregate between said strips.

7. A prefabricated building unit comprising a base consisting of a mixture of cement, sand and sawdust, spaced strips of material having a low coefficient of expansion embedded therein and extending from the surface thereof, and terrazzo layers containing from 20% to 40% fine carborundum aggregate between said strips.

8. A prefabricated building unit comprising a base consisting of a mixture of cement, sand and sawdust, spaced strips of marble embedded therein and extending from the surface thereof, and terrazzo layers containing from 20% to 40% fine carborundum aggregate between said strips.

THEODORE V. GALASSI. 

